Paper Towel Chromatography Experiment

Are you looking for the best kids science STEM experiment using items around the house? Paper towel chromatography experiment will promote concentration and fine motor control while your kiddo is happily creating some of the coolest process arts ever! Besides, the set up is super easy since you probably have everything handy for this kids craft! Most importantly, during this awesome color mixing experiment, your child can express the artistic side while creating various patterns on a paper towel. And, since your little artist can concentrate on the process rather than on the end result, this fun kids craft is just perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners!

Paper-Towel-Markers-Kids-Process-Art-Set-Up

You’ll need for this fun Kids Science STEM Experiment:

paper towel (we are using Bounty since it is thick and has a nice design)

HOW TO conduct this Paper Towel Chromatography Experiment:

First, to conduct this fun kids science STEM experiment, offer your child to color dots on a paper towel with Sharpies. Since this type of marker is more permanent and less water-soluble, colors would not dilute – ‘spread” much. So use Sharpies sparingly, just as an accent. Next, offer your child to follow the lines on the paper towel with watercolor markers or highlighters. Because water markers are more water-soluble, your child can use them generously!

Lastly, when your child colored the entire paper towel, offer a dropper to squirt water over it. Make sure not to squirt too much to avoid drenching the paper towel.

Paper-Towel-Markers-Kids-Process-Art-Adrian

Did you notice that where children used Sharpies, the colors did not “bleed” or mix as much?

Paper-Towel-Markers-Kids-Process-Art-Julia

Please, always supervise your children while they are learning through play.

What your child is observing during this fun experiment is that the water travels through paper diluting and mixing colors. Have you heard of walking water? Well, chromatography is a method using mixed substances that depends on the speed at which they move. It consists of a stationary phase, a solid – here PAPER, and a mobile phase – colors traveling and spreading through the liquid – WATER! This process is similar to the Capillary Action science experiment, where I describe the process in details below.